IOGT International stands for a comprehensive and integrated approach to alcohol policy making. We call it:

AiAP – Alcohol in All Policies – for the full potential of alcohol policy measures.

This comprehensive and integrated approach will effectively and sustainably prevent and reduce the magnitude of alcohol harm on local, national, regional and global level.

The AiAP approach is rooted in the understanding that addressing the implications of alcohol harm does reap substantial benefits across many different sectors of society. AiAP means to mainstream alcohol policy into all relevant policy areas.

It is a strategic approach to public policy making across sectors that systematically highlights and addresses the alcohol harm implications of public policy decisions.

AiAP is rooted in a Human Rights-based approach and the fact that harm caused by alcohol often jeopardizes fundamental rights.

IOGT International continues to be dedicated to fully support and promote the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy through our worldwide network and to advocate for support of the implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy. We are committed to acting as a watchdog to monitor that it is implemented without impact from the alcohol industry and their social aspects groups.

Alcohol Policy: AiAP

IOGT International Alcohol Policy: Alcohol in All Policies

This alcohol policy is evidence-based and rooted in the first hand experiences and know-how that IOGT International and our Member Organizations have acquired from working with all aspects of alcohol harm for more than 160 years.

The Case For AiAP

Alcohol is a substance that is toxic, carcinogenic, teratogen and addictive. Alcohol kills 3.3 million people worldwide every year. It is the fifth biggest risk factor for death and disability globally. Alcohol is a major global problem concerning public health, social and economic development, democracy, sustainability, and Human Rights.

The direct effects of alcohol intake on the individual user include illness, injury, mental ill health and premature death. It is the socially most harmful drug. Alcohol harm extends to children, families, communities and society at large – alcohol’s “Harm to Others”.

Alcohol harm is strongly linked to health inequalities: people from deprived socio-economic groups are suffering far greater harm than those from more affluent socio-economic groups.

4 Types Of Alcohol Harm

Alcohol consumption causes harm to the health and well being of the users themselves. But alcohol harm doesn’t stop there.

The social dimension of alcohol harm, meaning that alcohol causes “Harm to Others” than the users themselves, adds to the overall burden of problems caused by alcohol. Alcohol’s social harm is particularly burdensome for vulnerable groups in society, like children, young people, women and girls, indigenous communities or minority groups.

The third dimension of alcohol harm is the economy. Alcohol use burdens harms the productivity, burdens economic development and jeopardizes employability of young people.

Last but not least alcohol harm is a Human Rights issue.

This typology of alcohol harm makes one fact clear: the problems and issues that alcohol harm causes to communities and societies around the world are complex, massive and reach into many aspect of human life. Therefore, addressing the implications of alcohol harm is crucial and necessary to produce sustainable and cost-effective solutions across many different sectors of society. The Alcohol in All Policies approach means to mainstream alcohol policy into all relevant policy areas.

Mainstreaming Alcohol Policy

Alcohol policy considerations and knowledge about alcohol harm needs to be mainstreamed in and addressed by the following se- ctors. All agencies, policy bodies and decision-makers dealing with these respective sectors are to take account of alcohol harm and its impact on the respective sector and policy decision at hand:

Sustainable development and poverty eradication

Health promotion and health system response

Democracy and citizen participation

Welfare and economic prosperity

Human rights, including Child Rights, Women’s Rights and the rights of indigenous people

Trade

Transport

Agriculture

Migration

Labor market and employment opportunities

Media

Education

AiAP – mainstreaming alcohol policy in other sectors of public policy making

Public Health Issue

Alcohol use causes harm to public health and individual well being

Alcohol use is listed as the fifth leading risk factor for premature deaths and disabilities in the world. It is estimated that 3.3 million people worldwide die of alcohol-related causes every year.
Alcohol use harms the human being both physically and mentally. It can not only lead to dependence but also increases people’s risk of developing more than 200 diseases including liver cirrhosis and some cancers.

Alcohol is a causal risk factor in the global epidemic of Noncommunicable diseases. It causes addiction and other men- tal health conditions.

Alcohol is a causal risk factor in the global HIV/ Aids epidemic and is linked to the spread of other infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Alcohol is also a major risk factor for violence, accidents and injuries, both intentional and unintentional. As such alcohol is a major risk factor for the global epidemic of gender-based violence.
Alcohol also inhibits and harms the development of the human brain.

Mounting evidence from independent science shows: There is no safe amount of alcohol use and the higher the consumption, the bigger are the health risks.

Social Issue - Harm To Others

Alcohol’s Harm to Others demands to consider that health and social harm overlap and often multiply one another. How this overlap- and multiply-effect unfolds can be seen in different types of harm caused by alcohol:

Children of alcoholics are exposed to health harms and all too often to the complete collapse of the functioning of their social life and environment.

Alcohol is more harmful to a developing fetus than heroin or cocaine.

Harm to Others consists thus of four dimensions:

A collective dimension,

An individual dimension,

A short-term dimension, and

A long-term dimension.

All four dimensions interplay and cause the magnitude of alcohol’s social harm.

Harm To Others therefore signifies a total failure and collapse of the “alcohol market”. The price of alcoholic products does not come near the real costs that alcohol use burdens society with.

Economic Issue

Alcohol’s Harm to Others, its harm to the individual’s health and well being, and to public and global health, all create a burden on the economy of any society.

In the European Union for instance, alcohol harm costs €156 billion every year.

In the USA the annual costs of alcohol harm are $223 billion.

Alcohol costs any society more than the alcohol trade adds to the respective economy.
Alcohol harms the productivity of companies especially burdening small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) because the costs of alcohol harm in the workplace are relatively higher for SMEs and the impact is more strongly felt by smaller businesses. This is a crucial correlation because a significant proportion of the global workforce is employed by smaller enterprises.

Alcohol harm burdens economic development of communities and societies by causing ill health and social problems and creating avoidable costs for the health and social care systems.

Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) show the fact and the extent of alcohol harm undermining societies’ investments into its citizens, especially young people. And alcohol harm jeopardizes the employability of young people.

Alcohol harm erodes the prosperity of communities and societies and the costs for alcohol harm do undermine societies’ ability to prosper and develop sustainably.

Human Rights Issue

Alcohol harm is a Human Rights issue.

It is especially a Women’s Rights, Child Rights and Indigenous People’s rights issue.

In some parts of the world gender-based violence is alcohol-related in up to 80% of all cases. Alcohol harm exposes children to unhealthy environments, neglect and abuse, early onset of alcohol use and other detrimental factors in the socialization of children and young people. And alcohol marketing violates their fundamental right to grow up safely and healthy, free from alcohol and other drugs. Young people are disproportionately burdened by alcohol harm.

Alcohol harm is also challenging democracy: the global alcohol industry is increasingly challenging fundamental institutions for any democratic society; and alcohol harm often pacifies citizens, creating obstacles to active citizenship and participation in the matters of communities and society.

Alcohol is an obstacle to development and justice. At least 11 out of the new 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are negatively impacted by alcohol harm.

Health and well being is a Human Right. Without health and well being all other goals of public policy making remain out of reach.

3 Best Buys + 2

In order to unleash the full impact of alcohol policy measures for promoting public health, societal progress, sustainable development, Human Rights and economic prosperity, we advocate for the systematic use of the 3 Best Buys.

The most efficient means of reducing the alcohol consumption and preventing alcohol related harm is through the use of market regulations, such to make alcohol less affordable, less available and restrict marketing practices.

Examples are the use of taxation, age limits, restrictions on sales hours and points of sale, laws against driving under the influence of alcohol, and strict marketing regulations and advertising bans.

Especially for children and young people the availability of enabling, safe and attractive alcohol-free environments are crucial. Effective prevention programs, as well as treatment and rehabilitation programs for those affected by alcohol and/or other drug addictions and their families should accompany market regulations.

WHO Global Alcohol Strategy

The protection of the health of a population by preventing and reducing the use of alcohol is a public health priority.

The “WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol” goes a long way in recognizing the global and transnational aspects of the burden that alcohol harm causes. In its Global Alcohol Strategy WHO states that Non-governmental organizations are especially encouraged to form wide networks and action groups to support the implementation of the strategy.

IOGT International continues to be dedicated to fully support and promote the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy through our worldwide network and to advocate for support of the implementation of the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy. We are committed to acting as a watchdog to monitor that it is implemented without impact from the alcohol industry and their social aspects groups.

Quick Click: What We Stand For

We Are IOGT

IOGT International is the premier global network for evidence-based policy measures and community-based interventions to prevent and reduce harm caused by alcohol and other drugs.
Our heart-driven work protects children and youth, makes communities safer, and promotes health and development worldwide.